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Currency meaning

What does Currency mean?
In legal practice, currency means money of account and payment, comprising banknotes and coins in circulation, used to discharge monetary obligations. It includes sterling, the euro and other foreign currencies, and may itself be an investment asset (for example, FX transactions and currency derivatives). The term is generally descriptive rather than uniformly defined, though particular statutes define cash or money in any currency for specific purposes (for example, anti-money laundering and sanctions). Key issues include specifying the currency of payment in contracts (and any conversion mechanism), allocation of exchange rate risk, valuation dates, payment netting and set-off, sanctions compliance, and hedging. Across the UK and Ireland usage is broadly consistent. Sterling is the currency of the UK; the euro is the currency of Ireland. Scottish and Northern Irish banknotes are not legal tender but are widely accepted and treated as currency. In England & Wales and Northern Ireland, courts may award judgments in foreign currency (following Miliangos). Similar approaches are used in Scotland and Ireland, applying the lex monetae to questions of devaluation or redenomination. There are currently no general exchange controls in the UK or Ireland, but local controls in other jurisdictions may affect foreign currency payments.
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View the related Checklists about Currency

CHECKLISTS
English law trust deed review and negotiation checklist for first-time debt securities issuers (secured/unsecured)

What this checklist covers This checklist identifies the principal matters a solicitor advising a first time issuer should review and, where appropriate, propose amendments to when considering an English law trust deed for a debt securities issue. It applies to trust deeds for both secured and unsecured debt securities. It should be read alongside Practice Note: Trust deed—first time issuer's guide, which explains: the advantages and disadvantages of appointing trustees in debt capital markets transactions and the nature of the relationship between an issuer and a trustee, and the practical aspects of the main provisions commonly included in trust deeds for debt capital markets transactions Although the terms and conditions of the debt securities being issued will be set out in an annex to the trust deed, this checklist does not cover terms and conditions—these are addressed in Terms and conditions—first time issuer's negotiation checklist and Practice Note: Terms and conditions—first time issuer's guide. References are made to provisions by their usual...

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View the related News about Currency

NEWS
LC&F administrators sue GC Partners over £20.3m transfers, alleging breach of fiduciary duty and negligence for executing suspected fraudulent payments linked to LC&F Ponzi scheme

LC&F sues over £20m transfers linked to Ponzi scheme Administrators, in a High Court filing dated 24 September 2025 and brought on behalf of LC&F, assert that Global Currency Exchange Network Ltd and Global Custodial Services Ltd, which operate jointly as GC Partners, processed transfers exceeding £20.3m while suspecting the funds could be tied to fraud. The claim, only recently disclosed, states GC Partners went ahead despite those doubts, and sets out that the firms handled the instructions under scrutiny for LC&F... According to the particulars, GC Partners breached fiduciary duties and acted negligently by executing a small number of substantial transactions at the direction of LC&F director Michael Thomson. The pleading further alleges the defendants had reasonable grounds to believe the payment instructions were attempts to defraud LC&F, yet still carried out the transfers identified in the case...

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NEWS
EU law weekly briefing: data protection (cookies, X AI), ESG/SFDR-CSRD, banking (ECB collateral, EBA resolution, CRR/BRRD), insurance supervision, CJEU consumer contracts, WTO EV duties—15 August 2024

In this issue: Data protection and cybersecurity Financial services Insurance and reinsurance International trade Daily and weekly news alerts New and updated content Trackers Data protection and cybersecurity Comment—Google's reversal on killing cookies may prompt EU ad sector proposals MLex reports that Google’s revised plan, giving people greater control over how online adverts are delivered, is expected to draw rigorous scrutiny from European Commission officials, as they contemplate potential legislative measures on web cookies and digital advertising in the coming months. See News Analysis: Comment—Google's reversal on killing cookies may prompt EU ad sector proposals. X suspends processing of personal data of EU and EEA users to train AI tool The Irish Data Protection Commission (DPC) has reached an agreement with X, under which the platform will pause processing of personal data contained in the public posts of X’s users in the EU and the EEA, between 7 May and 1 August 2024, for...

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NEWS
Litigation and Dispute Resolution Update: Arbitration Bill, CPRC changes, cryptoasset enforcement, civil fraud, defamation, costs control, cross-border service, expert evidence (18 July 2024)

In this issue: Key DR Developments Court information Claims and remedies Costs and funding Cross-border disputes Evidence and disclosure Dates for your diary Useful information Daily and weekly news alerts Key DR Developments King’s Speech 2024 Key announcements: The Prime Minister’s Office has issued briefing notes on the King’s Speech 2024. They outline the Arbitration Bill, its territorial reach, and steps to implement the 2022 Law Commission’s recommendations on Arbitration Law. Commentary on the Bill’s inclusion is provided by Matthew Saunders, partner at Ashurst LLP, and Jason Raeburn, partner at Paul Hastings LLP—see: LNB News 17/07/2024 63—King’s Speech 2024—key Arbitration announcements. CPRC minutes June 2024 minutes of the CPR Committee meeting: The Civil Procedure Rule Committee met on 7 June 2024 in a hybrid format at The Rolls Building (Royal Courts of Justice) and via video conference, covering several topics, including changes to CPR 25 (interim remedies and security for costs) and...

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View the related Practice Notes about Currency

PRACTICE NOTES
Using OTC derivatives to hedge risks in lending transactions: interest rate, currency and commodity swaps, counterparties and costs

The most common reasons for entering into derivatives are for the purposes of: Speculation — when a party seeks exposure to a given variable, for example taking a view on a commodity’s future price on the assumption it will rise or fall over a chosen period Hedging — aiming to offset exposure to the risk of an unfavourable shift in a variable, or to stabilise expected outcomes over time Arbitrage — seeking to take advantage of price discrepancies (between markets, or within the same market over time) to earn profit or cut costs, or where one participant can reach a price or market unavailable to another, including where prices differ over time Exposure to asset classes — obtaining access to a target market (eg commodities, shares, property) without incurring the expense, complexity and formalities associated with those markets, avoiding the same costs and complications Derivatives are commonly used alongside lending arrangements for hedging purposes in practice. In this context, the primary...

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PRACTICE NOTES
SRA Accounts Rules 2019: Billing, Client Account Transfers for Costs, Mixed Payments, Cryptoasset Payments, Record-keeping and Breach Reporting for Law Firms (England and Wales)

This Practice Note summarises what the SRA Accounts Rules (Accounts Rules) require in relation to receiving and transferring costs, and mirrors the SRA’s supporting guidance: SRA, Helping you keep accurate client accounting records. Money received or held in respect of unbilled fees or disbursements There is a defined meaning of client money. It includes funds you hold or receive towards your fees and any unpaid disbursements where these are received before you issue a bill for them. The SRA elaborates in separate guidance: ‘client money is money of any currency that is received and held as cash, cheque, draft or electronic transfer by a firm when they are providing legal services’. Examples include amounts for the firm’s fees, and any outstanding expert fees, received before a bill has been sent to the client for those sums. Where money held or received for unpaid disbursements is client money, it follows that money held or received in respect of disbursements already paid is office money. The general...

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PRACTICE NOTES
SEPA and cross-border euro payments: EU law (PSD2, CBPR/CBPR2, Regulation 260/2012) and UK post-Brexit regime, FCA enforcement and EPC scheme participation

Background and introduction to SEPA After the euro was introduced in 11 EU countries in 1999, it became evident that domestic and cross-border retail payment services did not deliver comparable service levels. In September 1999, the European Central Bank (ECB) issued a report on enhancing cross-border retail payment services (the ECB 1999 Report). The report recognised that cross-border credit transfers within the euro area lagged significantly behind domestic credit transfers, even though a single currency environment called for a Single European Payment Area (SEPA). To initiate the debate and send a clear signal to the banking and payment systems industry, the Eurosystem (consisting of the ECB and the national central banks of countries that had adopted the euro) set out seven objectives for the industry to meet: Improved systems/services to be in place by 1 January 2002 Place priority on cross-border credit transfers Substantially lower the price of cross-border credit transfers Ensure settlement times are comparable for domestic and cross-border payments As...

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View the related Precedents about Currency

PRECEDENTS
Precedent Sterling term loan facility agreement (bilateral) for single corporate borrower, with optional security and/or parent guarantee (England and Wales)

This Agreement, dated [ • ] 20[ • ], is entered into between the following parties: Parties [ insert name of Borrower ], a company incorporated in England and Wales with registered number [ insert company number ], whose registered office is at [ insert address ] (the Borrower); and [ insert name of Lender ] of [ insert address ] (the Lender). Background (A) [ insert description of background to transaction ]. (B) The Lender has agreed to provide the Facility (as defined below) to the Borrower on the terms and conditions contained in this Agreement...

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PRECEDENTS
Precedent: bank account charge over blocked accounts (chargor-specific monies) for syndicated facilities (England and Wales)

This Deed is made on [ insert day and month ] 20[ insert year ] Parties [ Insert name of Chargor ], being a company incorporated in England and Wales, with registered number [ insert company number ], and whose registered office is at [ insert address ] (the “ Chargor ”); and 1 [ Insert name of Security Agent ], acting as security agent and trustee for the Finance Parties pursuant to the terms and conditions set out in the [ Facilities Agreement OR Intercreditor Agreement OR Security Trust Deed ] (the “ Security Agent ”). Recitals: (A) The Finance Parties have consented to provide loan facilities subject to the terms and conditions set out in the Facilities Agreement (as defined below). (B) As a condition precedent to the loan facilities becoming available, the Chargor must execute this Deed for the purpose of granting security in favour of the Security Agent in relation to the Secured Obligations (as defined below)...

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PRECEDENTS
Precedent deed: security assignment of insurance policies and proceeds to a security agent under a syndicated facilities agreement, with notice/acknowledgement and deed of accession (England and Wales)

This Deed is entered into on [ insert day and month ] 20[ insert year ], as of that date Parties [ insert name of Assignor ], a company incorporated in England and Wales with company number [ insert company number ], whose registered office is at [ insert address ] (the Assignor); and [ insert name of Security Agent ], acting as security agent and trustee for the Finance Parties pursuant to the terms and conditions contained in the [ [ Facilities Agreement ] OR [ Intercreditor Agreement ] OR [ Security Trust Deed ] ] (the Security Agent). Recitals: (A) The Finance Parties have consented to provide the loan facilities, subject to the terms and conditions set out in the Facilities Agreement (as defined below). (B) A condition precedent to the availability of the loan facilities is that the Assignor enters into this Deed to provide security in favour of the Security Agent in respect of...

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View the related Q&As about Currency

Q&As
Trust corporations: Public Trustee Rules s30(1)(b)(iv) capital breach, paid-up share capital, share capital distribution, operational rules

This Q&A assumes that the trust corporation is a company incorporated and registered in the UK under the Companies Act 2006 (CA 2006) CA 2006 sets the framework for how a company formed under that Act allots and issues its shares. The exact process varies by the nature of the company proposing the allotment and factors such as whether it has a single share class or several classes already in issue. For further detail, see the sub-topic: Allotment, issue and pre-emption—overview, with particular reference to the Practice Note: Allotment and issue of shares—introductory points. For guidance on the consequences of breaching the CA 2006 provisions on allotting and issuing shares, consult Practice Note: Allotment and issue of shares—penalties...

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